How is broken heart syndrome different from a heart attack?

Heart attacks are generally caused by a complete or near complete blockage of a heart artery. This blockage is due to a blood clot forming at the site of narrowing from fatty buildup (atherosclerosis) in the wall of the artery.
In broken heart syndrome, the heart arteries are not blocked, although blood flow in the arteries of the heart may be reduced.

Risk factors
There are a number of known risk factors for broken heart syndrome, including:

Sex. The condition affects women far more often than men.
Age. It appears that most people who have broken heart syndrome are older than 50.
A history of a neurological condition. People who have neurological disorders, such as a head injury or a seizure disorder (epilepsy) have a greater risk of broken heart syndrome.
A previous or current psychiatric disorder. If you’ve had disorders, such as anxiety or depression, you probably have a higher risk of broken heart syndrome.

Complications
In rare cases, broken heart syndrome is fatal. However, most people who experience broken heart syndrome quickly recover and don’t have long-lasting effects.

Other complications of broken heart syndrome include:

Backup of fluid into your lungs (pulmonary edema)
Low blood pressure (hypotension)
Disruptions in your heartbeat
Heart failure
It’s also possible that you may have broken heart syndrome again if you have another stressful event. However, the odds of this happening are low.

Prevention

Broken heart syndrome sometimes happens again, though most people won’t experience a second event.
Many doctors recommend long-term treatment with beta blockers or similar medications that block the potentially damaging effects of stress hormones on the heart. Recognizing and managing stress in your life also may help prevent broken heart syndrome, though there’s currently no evidence to prove this.

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